Suction nozzle with internal ribbing



March '15, 1955 FA'THELL 2,703,905

SUCTION NOZZLE WITH INTERNAL RI'BBING Filed Feb. 25, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet l March 15, 1955 L. .J. FAITH-ELL 2,703,905

SUCTION NOZZLE WITH INTERNAL RIBBING Filed Feb. 26, 1949 s Sheets-Sheet 2 illlfllllllw m. l J,

Arm/W5) March 15, 1955 2,703,905

SUCTION NOZZLE WITH INTERNAL RIBBING Filed Feb. 26, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 HI M 4 INV NTOR.

La /m" M By Maw United States Patent SUCTION NOZZLE WITH INTERNAL RIBBING Lars Johan Faith-Ell, Stockholm, Sweden, assignor to Aktiebolaget Elektrolux, Stockholm, Sweden, a corporation of Sweden Application February 26, 1949, Serial No. 78,513

Claims priority, application Australia December 30, 1948 3 Claims. (Cl. 15-374) My invention relates to nozzles for suction cleaners having one or more ribs therein which form subdivided channels or passages between the suction opening and outlet socket.

It has been proposed to provide ribs in nozzles of this type which are transverse to the elongated direction of the suction opening in order to prevent curtains, draperies and the like being drawn into the nozzle when the latter is being moved over the surfaces of such ob ects during cleaning thereof. In such construction threads and the like, which are loosened and drawn into the suction opening during operation of the nozzle, tend to adhere to the ribs and are not drawn through the nozzle and connecting suction conduit to the suction cleaner.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved nozzle of this type which is of simple construction and efiicient in operation, so that threads and the like are readily loosened and pass without difliculty through the nozzle to the suction cleaner. I accomplish this by constructing the nozzle in such manner that the partitions or ribs are transverse to the direction the nozzle is normally moved over a surface to be cleaned and subdivide the hollow interior thereof into a plurality of passages or channels communicating between the suction inlet opening and outlet socket, the ribs being recessed or cut away at the regions thereof adjacent to the outlet socket so that subdivided air streams flowing through the channels or passages will merge before being drawn into the outlet socket. More particularly, the ribs extend from the ends of the body of the nozzle and terminate at an intermediate region thereof, the inner ends of the ribs being spaced apart to provide a gap therebetween through which threads and the like can readily pass directly from the suction inlet opening to the outlet socket.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, and the features of novelty which characterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

For a better understanding of my invention, reference may be had to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation, partly in section, of a suction cleaner nozzle embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the nozzle shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a mold or die for making the nozzle of Figs. 1 to 3; Fig. 5 is a front elevation, partly in section, of a nozzle illustrating another embodiment of the invention; Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the nozzle shown in Fig. 5; Figs. 7 and 8 are transverse sections taken on lines 7-7 and 88, respectively, of Fig. 5 more clearly illustrating the construction; Figs. 9, l0 and 11 are bottom plan views of nozzles illustrating further embodiments of the invention; and Fig. 12 is a transverse section similar to Fig. 7 illustrating a still further embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, the suction cleaner nozzle in Figs. 1 to 3 which I have shown embodying my invention comprises a hollow body 10 having a reduced annular portion 11 which serves as a connector or outlet socket adapted to be attached to a suction line or conduit of a vacuum cleaner, which is indicated in dotted lines at 12 in Fig. 3 and through which air is drawn when the nozzle is placed in operation.

The hollow interior of the body 10 provides a passage through which air is drawn toward the annular portion 11 from an elongated suction inlet opening 14 defined by surface engaging lips 15. The body 10 may be formed of any suitable metal or synthetic resinous material, the surface engaging lips 15 being shaped to facilitate movement of the nozzle over a surface being cleaned or otherwise treated.

In accordance with my invention the body 10 is provided with longitudinally disposed partitions or ribs 16 to subdivide the interior thereof into a plurality of channels or passages 17 extending between the suction inlet opening 14 and the connector or outlet socket 11, the ribs 16 being recessed at 18 at the regions thereof adjacent to the outlet socket 11 to establish communication between the separate channels or passages so that the subdivided air streams flowing therethrough will merge before being drawn into the outlet socket. In the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 3 the ribs 16 are disposed longitudinally of the suction inlet opening 14 and extend toward each other from the transverse end walls of the inlet opening, the inner ends of the ribs being spaced from one another to provide a gap 19 therebetween which is more or less in transverse alignment with the outlet socket 11. By providing the recessed or cut away portions 18 at the inner ends of the ribs 16, the gap 19 is enlarged or widened to form a pocket-within the body 10 immediately in front of the entrance to the connector or outlet socket 11.

As best shown in Fig. 2, the ribs or partitions 16 are in alignment and divide the interior of the body 10 to provide two passages or channels 17 which are approximately of the same size. When the nozzle 10 is moved back and forth over a surface to be cleaned or treated, in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 3, the ribs or partitions 16 are disposed at right angles or transverse to the normal direction of movement of the nozzle during operation thereof.

Another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figs. 5 to 8 which differs from that just described in that a plurality of spaced apart ribs or partitions 16a extend longitudinally of the suction inlet opening 14a between the transverse end walls of the body 10a. Each partition or rib 16a extends across the entire longitudinal dimension of the inlet opening 14a defined by the surface engaging lips 15a, the intermediate portions thereof adjacent the outlet socket 11a being recessed at 18a and 18b to establish communication between the channels or passages 17a so that the subdivided air streams flowing therethrough will merge before being drawn into outlet socket 11a. As best shown in Fig. 7, it will be seen that the rib 16a nearer to the rear surface engaging lip 15a is formed with a notched or recessed portion 18a of greater depth than the recessed portion 18b of the rib adjacent to or nearer to the front surface engaging lip.

In the embodiments of Figs. 1 to 3 and Figs. 5 to 8, each of the bodies 10 and 10a includes a wall defining a roof or ceiling extending laterally from each side of the outlet sockets 11 and 11a towards the ends, of the bodies, and a skirt which extends about each body and depends from the ceiling when the body is positioned on the surface to be treated with the suction inlet adjacent thereto. The partitioning 16 and 16a within each of the bodies 10 and 10a, respectively, is joined to the inner surface of the skirt and the ceiling for the length thereof and extends between the outlet socket and the end portions of the body to divide the interior thereof into several passages. The partitioning includes the regions 18, 18a and 18b which are intermediate the ends thereof, the free and unconnected inner peripheral edge portions of such regions merging with peripheral edge portions of the partitioning joined to the ceiling of the nozzle bodies 10 and 10a, respectively.

The intermediate regions 18, 18a and 18b of the partitioning 16 and 16a are of shorter depth than other parts at each side of such regions and extend across substantially a major portion of the width of each of the outlet sockets 11 and 11a to provide the pockets within the nozzle bodies immediately in front of the inlet ends of the outlet sockets. When the nozzle bodies 10 and 10a are positioned on a horizontal surface to be treated with the suction inlets adjacent thereto, the outlet sockets 11 and 11a project upwardly from the bodies 10 and 10a with their discharge ends at a higher level than their inlet ends to provide air ducts which extend upwardly above the partitioning 16 and 16a and at an acute angle thereto.

Nozzles constructed in accord with the invention are extremely efiicient in operation. When nozzles like those just described and illustrated are attached to a suction conduit of a vacuum cleaner and moved over a surface to be cleaned, air is drawn into the nozzle at the suction inlet opening. The air drawn into the ends of the suction inlet opening flows through the passages or channels in a direction substantially parallel to the ribs or partitions and sweeps over the opposing surfaces thereof. Since the ribs extend in a direction which is transverse to the normal direction of movement of the nozzle over a surface being cleaned, the ribs are effectively utilized to loosen dust and other foreign matter tending to adhere to the surface.

By providing recessed portions on the ribs at the region immediately in front of the inlet end of the outlet socket, the subdivided air streams passing through the channels or passages can merge before flowing through the outlet socket of the nozzle. In this way an enlarged space is provided at a region intermediate the ends of the nozzles through which threads can readily pass from the suction inlet opening directly to the outlet socket, and the likelihood of threads adhering to the ribs is minimized. In the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 3 the enlarged space immediately in front of the outlet socket forms a part of the gap 19 through which threads can pass unobstructedly from the suction inlet opening 14 to the outlet socket 11. In the embodiment of Figs. 5 to 8 in which the ribs 16a extend across the entire length of the suction inlet opening 14a, the advantages of the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 3 are also realized to a substantial degree because the recessed portions 18a and 18b of the ribs 16a also form an enlarged space immediately in front of the outlet socket 9 11a which facilitates threads passing through an intermediate or central region of the suction inlet opening directly to such enlarged unobstructed space where the subdivided air streams merge together before flowing into the outlet socket.

Nozzles like those described above and illustrated may be cast in a two part die or mold and inner cores cooperating therewith. As shown in Fig. 4, such a die or mold comprises two outer cooperating parts 20 and 21 which are adapted to be held in abutting relation at 22 in a plane which extends lengthwise of the nozzle body and through or substantially parallel to the center line or axis of the annular part or connector. Such die elements or mold parts define the outer configuration of the nozzle. In addition, an inner core 23 cooperates with portions of the parts 20 and 21 to form the passage in the connector or outlet socket, and another inner core 24 cooperates with other portions of such parts to form the hollow interior of the nozzle body and ribs or partitions therein. The inner core 24 is provided with recesses or grooves 25 which are in alignment and separated at their inner ends at a region immediately adjacent the inner core 23 to provide a nozzle like that shown in Figs. 1 to 3.

In casting a nozzle the outer die parts 20 and 21 are held in abutting relation and the inner cores 23 and 24 are positioned in end to end relation with respect to one another. The nozzle may be cast from any suitable lightweight material. such as aluminum or a synthetic resin. for example, after which the inner core 23 is removed in a direction parallel to the axis of the connector 11. and the inner core 24 is removed from the interior of the body in a direction coincident with the plane of the ribs. The outer die elements and 21 are then separated after which the nozzle thus produced may be finished off by grinding and polishing if necessary.

In nozzles constructed in accord with the invention, the ribs or partitions can be formed in such a manner that a brush member can be removably secured thereto. For example, such a brush member may be provided with one or more resilient clips or other fastening elements adapted to be attached to the ribs for securely holding a brush member in position with the bristles thereof positioned in the suction inlet opening at either side of the ribs. In this way the nozzles can be readily adapted for use as a clothes brush or similar cleaning attachment.

Such a modification is shown in Fig. 12 which is similar to Fig. 7 and illustrates a brush 26 resiliently maintained in position in the suction inlet opening. The brush 26 comprises a body member 27 having bristles 28 fixed member 27 by a tubular rivet 30. The spring clips 29 are formed with rounded outer end portions 31, the extreme ends of which overlap and are in sliding relation.

When the brush 26 is positioned in the middle channel or passage 17a the spring clips 29 move toward one another and, after the rounded outer end portions 31 clear the edges of the ribs 16a at the region of the recessed portions 18a and 1811, the spring clips move outwardly and resiliently hold the brush 26 in position. It wlll be understood that the brush 26 can be readily positioned alongside the ribs 16a and removed therefrom without the use of tools, thereby facilitating its use when necessary.

In the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 3 the inner ends of the ribs 16 at the gap 19 are in alignment and approximately parallel to the front and rear surface engaging l ps 15. In certain instances it may be desirable to provide ribs or partitions which are slightly inclined to the longitudinal axis of the suction inlet opening or at least inclined at the inner ends thereof, so that the inner ends of the ribs slightly overlap one another. A nozzle constructed in this manner is shown in Fig. 9 in which the inner ends of the ribs 16b are slightly inclined to the longitudinal axis of the body 10b and overlap one another. Such inclined arrangement of the inner ends of the ribs promotes sweeping of threads from the ribs by air drawn into the space intermediate the ends of the inlet opening during the back and forth movement of the nozzle over objects being cleaned. If desired, the inclined inner ends of the ribs 16b may be spaced apart in the same manner as the ribs 16 in Fig. 2 to provide a gap 19b therebetween without any overlapping of the ribs, as shown in Fig. 10.

Further, instead of employing a single rib at each side of the gap 19, as shown in the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 3, several pairs of integrally formed ribs may be provided whose inner ends are off-set with respect to one another. Such a construction is illustrated in Fig. 11 in which the spaces 190 between longitudinally aligned ribs are more or less in zig-zag relation with respect to one another.

In view of the foregoing, it will now be understood the nozzle in each embodiment illustrated and described above comprises a hollow member having a passage extending therethrough which includes a body terminating in an opening defining an elongated suction inlet, and a connector joined to such body and having a opeig defining an outlet adapted to be connected to a source of suction and through which air is withdrawn. Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, for example, it will be seen that the longer sides of the body 10a are in planes substantially normal to a vertical plane which passes through the axis of the outlet at line 77 in Fig. 5 and is perpendicular to a surface to be treated when the nozzle is placed in an operative position thereon.

The ribs 1611, as described above, form elongated partition means within the body 10a disposed lengthwise of the suction inlet 14a and include parts at opposite sides of the vertical plane passing through the line 77 in Fig. 5. Each partition member 16a includes an outer peripheral edge portion at the immediate vicinity of the suction inlet 14a which is essentially flush therewith.

While I have shown several embodiments of my improved nozzle, I do not wish to be limited to the particular constructions set forth, and I intend in the following claims to cover all changes and modifications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of my invention. However, the provision of the brush 26 which is removably mounted on the ribs or partition members 16a, which is described above and shown in Fig. 12, is being claimed in copending application Serial No. 201,113, filed December 16, 1950.

What is claimed is:

l. A suction nozzle of a type which is adapted to be detachably connected to a suction line of a vacuum cleaner and which is interchangeable with other nozzles, said nozzle comprising a hollow body having an opening in one portion thereof of slot-like form which defines an elongated suction inlet, the body including a tubular outlet socket having the discharge end thereof adapted to be detachably connected to a suction line; the body, when the nozzle is placed in an operative position on a surface to be treated, having parts thereof at each side of a plane which passes through the axis of the outlet socket and is perpendicular both to the surface to be treated and the major axis of the suction inlet; the body including a wall thereto, and a pair of spring clips 29 fixed I9 F1 9 bo y defining a roof or ceiling extending laterally from each side of the outlet socket toward the ends of the body and a skirt which extends about the body and depends from the ceiling when the body is positioned on the surface to be treated with the suction inlet adjacent thereto; partitioning within the body which is joined to the inner surfaces of the skirt and the ceiling for the length thereof and extends between the outlet socket and the ends of the body to divide the interior thereof into several passages, the partitioning extending lengthwise of the major axis of the suction inlet and having an outer peripheral edge which is at the vicinity of the suction inlet and substantially flush therewith; the partitioning including a region intermediate the ends thereof having a free and unconnected inner peripheral edge portion which merges with peripheral edge portions of the partitioning joined to the ceiling of the body, said intermediate region of the partitioning being of shorter depth than other parts thereof at each side of said region and extending across substantially a major portion of the width of the outlet socket to provide a pocket within the body immediately in front of the inlet end of the outlet socket for merging the air streams from the passages before flowing into the outlet socket to reduce materially the likelihood of any foreign matter carried by the air streams from balling up and blocking the entrance to the outlet socket, said pockct being defined at least in part by the free and unconnected inner peripheral edge portion of said partitioning, the body, when the nozzle is positioned on a horizontal surface to be treated with the suction inlet adjacent thereto and facing downward, having the outlet socket projecting upwardly from the body with its discharge end at a higher level than its inlet end to provide an air duct which extends upwardly above the partitioning and at an acute angle thereto.

2. A suction nozzle as set forth in claim 1 in which the skirt includes connecting end portions and longer side portions which define the elongated suction inlet, and the partitioning comprises a plurality of partitions which are spaced from the longer side portions and from each other and extend lengthwise of the elongated suction inlet from one end portion to the opposite end portion of the body, each of'said partitions having said free and unconnected inner peripheral edge portion which extends across substantially a major portion of the width of the outlet socket, and said pocket within the body immediately in front of the inlet end of the outlet socket being defined at least in part by the free and unconnected inner peripheral edge portion of each of said partitions.

3. A suction nozzle as set forth in claim 2 in which said skirt comprises surface engaging lips including a leading or front edge and a rear edge at the longer side portions of the body, the intermediate region of one of the partitions nearer or nearest to the surface engaging lip at the rear edge being of shorter depth than the intermediate region of another of said partitions nearer or nearest to the surface engaging lip at the front edge.

4. A suction nozzleas set forth in claim 1 in which said intermediate region of the partitioning of shorter depth is formed with an opening or cut-away section which extends the entire depth of the partitioning to the outer peripheral edge thereof.

5. A suction nozzle as set forth in claim 4 in which said cut-away section is wider at the vicinity of the ceiling of the body than at the suction inlet, such wider part of said cut-away section forming said pocket for merging the air streams in the passages.

6. A suction nozzle as set forth in claim 1 in which said skirt includes connecting end portions and longer side portions which define the elongated suction inlet, and the partitioning comprises a plurality of partitions which are spaced from the longer side portions and from each other and extend lengthwise of the elongated suction inlet from one end portion to the opposite end portion of said body, the intermediate region of each of said partitions having a cut-away section which extends the entire depth thereof to its outer peripheral edge, the cut-away sections of said partitions at the immediate vicinity of the suction inlet being offset with respect to one another in the lengthwise direction thereof.

7. A suction nozzle as set forth in claim 1 in which the intermediate region of the partitioning is formed with an opening or cut-away section which extends the entire depth of the partitioning to the outer peripheral edge thereof, the portions of the partitioning at the immediate vicinity of said cut-away section being inclined to the portions of said partitioning further removed from said cutaway section.

8. A suction nozzle as set forth in claim 7 in which the inclined regions of the partitioning overlap one another.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 850,909 Diserens Apr. 23, 1907 896,290 Freeman Aug. 18, 1908 1,010,313 Poncet Nov. 28, 1911 1,018,136 Slevin Feb. 20, 1912 1,722,957 Dimeo July 30, 1929 1,726,592 Spanel Sept. 3, 1929 1,782,308 Luckensmeier Nov. 18, 1930 1,819,131 Spanel Aug. 18, 1931 1,907,370 Schoeller May 2, 1933 2,280,751 Davis Apr. 21, 1942 2,333,409 Brown Nov. 2, 1943 2,585,186 Taylor Feb. 12, 1952 

